Banana Ball is coming to Dayton in the summer of 2027, with two games set for Day Air Ballpark in downtown Dayton on Friday, August 6 and Saturday, August 7, 2027. The Dayton Dragons announced the visit on October 15, saying the Firefighters and the Loco Beach Coconuts, two of the six teams in the Banana Ball Championship League, will play the two games.
Banana Ball is the fast-paced version of baseball created by the Savannah Bananas, built around 11 rules designed to keep the action moving. Each inning is worth one point to the team that scores more runs in it, games carry a two-hour time limit, and a walk becomes a sprint in which the batter runs while every fielder touches the ball before it is live again.
Other rules set Banana Ball apart from a standard game: batters can try to steal first base, bunting gets a hitter ejected, mound visits are not allowed, and if a fan catches a foul ball in the stands, the batter is out. Ties are settled by a one-on-one showdown instead of extra innings.
Tickets are not sold like a regular Dragons game. Fans buy through a lottery at BananaBall.com, with standard seats starting at 35 dollars and meet-and-greet options starting at 125 dollars, according to the Dragons’ announcement information. Joining the lottery list does not guarantee a chance to buy, and a random drawing will be held before the event.
The lottery sign-up window closes October 31 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern, so fans who want a chance at seats for either August night need to register this month. Dragons season ticket holders will also get a first opportunity through a season ticket holder pre-sale in January, after an opt-in email from the club.
Day Air Ballpark, home of the Dragons, is at 220 North Patterson Boulevard in downtown Dayton. The two Banana Ball dates add a national touring baseball event to the ballpark’s 2027 calendar, a year after the announcement.
For families in the Miami Valley, the games are a local stop for a tour that usually requires travel. The next step for interested fans is the lottery registration before the end of October, well ahead of the August 2027 first pitch.
Photo: Godrags01, CC BY-SA